Saturday, January 30, 2010

A couple of weeks ago, when I was sick as the proverbial dog and could barely taste anything, I needed a hot, spicy, soup to make me feel better. I'd already worked through all my reserves, so I decided when I went to the grocery store that I'd get the fixins for.....

what? I had no idea. I wanted something hearty, chunky, and spicy.

Then I remembered Ina Garten made a White Chicken Chili -- it was too much white meat and peppers and such, for me, but it gave me an idea.

I came up with this recipe by adding all my favorites to my Crock Pot and cooking them for 8 hours. It's gluten free as written (I checked my brands to be sure), but you can adapt at will.

Now, here's the funny part. It has taken me two weeks to post this, but I swear, Stephanie O'Dea at A Year of Crock Pot Meals has an almost identical recipe posted today. I'm going for the concept that great minds think alike....

But I think this would rock a Super Bowl Party! And it goes without saying that today in Georgia was certainly Chili Weather!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

A week ago, the small island country of Haiti was devastated by an earthquake. More than 100,000 people are believed dead. And more are injured. And most in the small capital of Port au Prince were displaced -- possibly forever -- from their home.

Yes, this is a blog about cooking and living gluten free, but I want to put this aside to talk about helping people in Haiti survive this catastrophe.

There were ribbons at the Golden Globes and heartfelt sympathy, but did anyone give any money to the people so devastated?We wore red today for Haiti, but did we give green?

I'm just one person. What can I do?

Consider the words of Edward Everett Hale:

I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And by the grace of God, I will.

Such a genuine, heartfelt move. I urge other gluten-free products to do the same. And glutenly products, too.

So here is my contribution. Today I received my quarterly commission from BlogHer, the sponsor of this blog. Tomorrow, I am donating that to the Haitian Relief Fund collections going on at my campus. And tomorrow, my first contribution to Doctors Without Borders begins for one year, in honor of my Dad's partner, Mary Mallison, but especially timely in this crisis.

It is something. Will you do something? There but by the grace of God.....

Much love, especially to the people of Haiti in this time of need.Ging

A recipe

(Ging's note -- I apologize to Kevin for using his photo, which looked similar to my recipe. I have removed the photo at his request.)

Roasted RutabagaSome call the rutabaga the "veggie of last resort." It fits this post, in a way.

A humble dish. Eat a humble meal and give the money you save on food to Haiti.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

I'm superstitious, I have to do the whole blackeyed peas and collard greens thing every year. My Mama did it, even though she was a born-and-bred DAMN yankee (i.e. one who came south and never went back).

I loved that we brough blackeyed peas to my Daddy when he was in the hospital on Jan. 1, 1969. I love that I made them for my own in Germany in 1983 in my tiny apartment for my parents, who were visiting for Christmas with their Gradnson.

And I made them the other night before I went to the Outback Bowl.

It dawned on me that a lot of people are forced to eat collard greens on Jan. 1 and then have a lot leftover. Same true for blackeyed peas, too.